


It doesn’t need to mean a thing

by Lieju



Category: Gaston (Bande Dessinée), Spirou et Fantasio
Genre: M/M, editor husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 12:27:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8013985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lieju/pseuds/Lieju
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a convenient arrangement for two people suffering from a case of unrequited love. Really, that was all it was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It doesn’t need to mean a thing

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in modern day, the way I write it Fantasio is the Editor-in-Chief, Prunelle is the Managing Editor.

 

Fantasio wasn't all that certain how it had come to this (although alcohol had a lot to do with it), but somehow he had ended up making out with his managing editor in the supply closet during the company Christmas party.

 

Not that he thought L _éon_ Prunelle was unattractive, and he had had some ideas about his sexuality before, but Fantasio had never considered him romantically.

 

And he wasn't really, not even now.

 

So he pulled back. “Uh,  L _ éon _ . ..”

 

“What's wrong? Do you want me to wear a bellhop-uniform for this?”

But he backed off, avoiding Fantasio's eyes.

 

Who realized the other man was drunk. Actually, this was the first time he could recall seeing L _éon_ _actually_ drunk, he was usually far more careful with the amount of alcohol he consumed.

 

“It is... obvious?” He hadn't thought his feelings towards his best friend had been _that_ clear to people.

 

Prunelle nodded. “Yes. Most people think you two have something going on. Do you?”

 

Fantasio wasn't sure if people thinking they were a couple was better or worse. “No.”

 

“Ah, I didn't mean to suggest you _would_ be doing something like this with someone if you were with him.” He stepped back. “Rogntudjuu, this was a stupid idea.”

 

Fantasio agreed. “It was.”

 

“So, how about we pretend this never happened?”

 

“Sounds like a good idea.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Fantasio!”

 

The blond stopped in his tracks.“I wasn't going anywhere!” He realized how childish he had just sounded. “I was going to-”

 

Prunelle interjected. “Well, _these_ are waiting for your signature.”

Fantasio frowned at the pile of documents dropped on his desk. “Fine, I'll take care of them as soon as I-”

“Now. Half of these have been sitting on here for weeks. By the way, it would be nice if you told me in advance the next time you were planning to disappear for an undetermined amount of time. I'm tired of telling people 'oh, our editor-in-chief couldn't come, he is probably on the _moon_ or something.'”

 

“Hey, now. I was kidnapped. That time.” He could tell Prunelle was being slightly more agitated than usual.

 

“What has Gaston been up to lately?”

 

“The 5th floor has been taken over by rabbits.”

 

Ah, so that explained it.

Fantasio went through the papers, giving them a cursory glance and signing them. “I see.”

He didn't need to ask more, he was sure  L _ éon _ was handling the rabbit-problem already.

Still, it was just more work for him.

 

He hesitated, thinking back to what had happened. They hadn't talked about it since, and he didn't want to give  L _ éon _ the impression he was trying to make it anything it wasn't.

 

But then again, they had gone out on drinks before, or eaten out together. Suggesting something like that would only show he hadn't been spooked by what had happened, and was intent on keeping their friendship and working relationship the same.

Right?

 

And L _éon_ _was_ looking stressed out (more than usual), and he should probably act like a boss and try to motivate his subordinates...

 

“Do you want to go get something to eat after work?”

 

“Well...”

 

“Just last month I found this lovely little Chinese restaurant. They're new, but very cozy.”

 

Prunelle shrugged. “Why not?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Fantasio opened his eyes, wondering what exactly was the unusual thing that had happened last night.

 

The sight of a snoring figure next to him brought everything back.

 

Fantasio closed his eyes. And this time neither of them had the excuse of being drunk, either, slightly buzzed, maybe... He wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.

 

Not that it hadn't been great.

 

Clumsy, yes, it had been a long time since the last time, for both of them apparently.

 

Fantasio had, at the start, tried to imagine it was Spirou, but that had felt wrong and unfair, for both his best friend and L _éon_ , and in the end he had done his best not to think, and just be lost in the experience.

 

He could feel some regret now, but...

 

It was fine, wasn't it? As long as they both knew it hadn't really meant anything?

 

* * *

 

 

The next time Fantasio woke up, it was to a quiet 'rogntudju'.

 

Disoriented, he saw the place next to him was empty, and sleepy as he was, it took him a second to spot Prunelle who was getting dressed.

 

“I wasn't planning to leave without saying goodbye or anything.” He told him. “I just... Woke up and didn't want to wake you up... And then I hit my foot on something.”

 

“I'm awake, though.”

 

“Yes. I can't find my glasses. Or shirt.”

 

Fantasio pointed at the nightstand. “Over there. Glasses that is. I seem to remember some of your clothes ending up on the living room floor. I'm assuming you'll stay for the breakfast, at least?”

 

The other man nodded. “Of course.” And left the room, apparently to hunt down the rest of his clothes.

 

Fantasio wasn't sure whether to get a shower or not, and opted not to, since his guest hadn't, and joined Prunelle in the kitchen.

“I just sort of... Started with the breakfast already,” he explained.

 

It felt bizarre, seeing L _éon_ in his kitchen, making breakfast, dressed in the clothes he had been wearing yesterday.

 

Prunelle opened the kitchen cabinet. “I'm not looking for a relationship.” He told Fantasio. “Do you have jam?”

 

That was a relief. “Good. I'm not either. I mean, not with- “

'Not with you' seemed rude, so he went with: “Anyone in particular at the moment.”

Fantasio joined him in making breakfast. “I have strawberry jam. That OK?”

 

Prunelle nodded. “It doesn't have to mean anything. I mean, this thing that happened.”

 

“No, it's doesn't.” Fantasio wondered who L _éon_ had been thinking of during it.

 

They ate their toast in silence.

 

 _Well, what the Hell?_ , Fantasio thought. They had already started something.

“Do you want to do something like this again? I don't mean dating, or anything, just... Something mutual.”

 

“I... I guess that would be fine.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Fantasio watched the overgrown carnivorous plant eat his camera.“L _éon_ is going to kill me!”

 

“He won't have to, if that thing will finish the job for him!” Spirou reminded him. “Can you jump to the rock next to you? I think I can get down there, and we can circle around the plants that way.”

 

“Yeah, I think so.” He looked at the plant. “Some of those pictures were _really_ good!”

 

“It's not like you even could publish them!”

 

“So, in other words, I have nothing to show for this trip! Well, not an article, anyway!”

 

At least he had had time to give Prunelle a call this time, before disappearing. True, it had just been “Sorry, gonna go away for a while, mutant capybaras, can't explain!” followed by closing the phone before the managing editor had time to ask any questions or yell at him some more.

 

“We need to keep quiet about this, think of what their life will be if it becomes public knowledge there is a huge diamond deposit right under their village!”

 

“I know, I know.” Fantasio thought about diamond the size of his fist in his back bag, and for a second entertained the idea of giving it to L _éon_ as a souvenir.

 

He rejected the idea as soon as it crossed his mind. It wasn't really appropriate, and the rock was worth a fortune anyway.

Although selling it would probably raise a lot of questions, and it had been given to them as thanks...

 

Well, he would just tell  L _ éon _ about his adventure. Even if it couldn't be published, he could know.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Intelligent capybaras?” Prunelle finished his cup of coffee. “And we are NOT publishing that story because..?”

 

“We can't. Their society would get completely destroyed.”

 

“Hmh, I see where you're coming from... But you are saying you almost got eaten?”

 

“Twice! It's like all the bad things always happen to me!”

 

“And yet you keep doing it.”

 

Fantasio wondered what that odd tone of voice had been about. “Well, it's the only life for me.” Not that coming back to civilization hadn't felt nice.

 

“I could never do something like that.” Prunelle told him, his expression unreadable.

 

“L _éon_ , as a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?”

 

“Hm? It's silly.”

 

“Now I'm curious.”

 

“Fine. I wanted to be a newsreader.”

 

“That's not really silly.”

 

“Well, it's a bit unusual for a three-year old. I made a tv out of a card-board box and made 'news-reports' for my mother. I just thought it was a really cool job. Also I wanted to be a detective, but keep that just as a hobby. What about you?”

 

“I wanted to be a journalist. As long as I can remember. Even when as a kid I didn't have a clear idea what it was going to be like.”

 

“I can understand that. I just figured I wanted to write things, and journalism seemed like the most sensible career choice.”

 

“So, how about things on your end. Anything interesting happened when I was away?”

 

Prunelle waved his hand dismissively. “Nothing as exciting as mutant rodents.”

 

“You sure? I mean, as long as a certain office boy is working there that would not surprise me.”

 

“Gaston? Yes... He and Jeanne are officially dating now.”

 

“They weren't yet?”

 

“No. I mean, it was obvious they would get together eventually. But Gaston was always too immature to take the first step...”

 

It was a bit odd just how well-informed Prunelle was about Gaston's love-life. Although it didn't have to mean anything, they worked closely after all...

 

“I'm happy for them.”

But with that sentence Fantasio was certain.

Gaston? Not what Fantasio would have pegged as Prunelle's type. Although it did explain a few things.

He agreed. “They will.”

 

* * *

 

 

It was something that happened gradually, and Fantasio never noticed it until it had been going on for a while.

Not when they started to spend more and more time together outside of work, or when they fell asleep on the sofa middle of watching the Russian mini-series Prunelle had brought over.

Or when Fantasio woke up alone in his bed and was for a moment confused, before remembering L _éon hadn't spent that night with him._

 

…

And when Prunelle pushed him against a wall in a desperate kiss he didn't realize it yet either.

L _éon_ had pulled him in his office with a 'I need to have a word with him in private', and done this.

 

Fantasio broke the kiss. ”What was that about?”

It was out-of-character for the other man. For both of them, really, as they had done their best to keep all of this out of the workplace.

 

The look Prunelle gave him was certainly angry, but there was more to it.

”I thought you _died._ ”

 

”What?”

 

Prunelle took in the blond's disheveled appearance. ”Are you okay? We thought you and Spirou died, the plane you were in exploded, it was all over the news.”

 

_Oh._

”I am fine.” Fantasio assured him. ”As is Spirou. We weren't on the plane, no-one was. It's a long story. I'll explain later.”

 

”Later?” He understood. ”It's not over yet, is it?”

 

”It's not. I only came by the office to get some documents.” He embraced the shorter man. ”I'll be fine. And when it is over, I'll tell you all about it.”

 

”You better. If you die, I'll never let you live it down.”

 

…

What finally made it all click was when Fantasio arrived from yet another trip and opened the door to his dark apartment.

 

It would have been nice to have someone here. Someone who'd be welcoming him home, or at least who'd make the apartment feel lived in.

His thoughts went to L _éon_.

He had been spending quite a lot of time in his apartment anyway, and Fantasio had been thinking of giving him the key. If he did, and could come over while he was gone...

 

Fantasio's apartment was larger, but L _éon_ probably preferred his small two-room home nearer the office, since he didn't have a car-

 

Fantasio stopped.

He had been basically thinking of asking L _éon_ to move in with him.

For a moment he had forgotten it wasn't really a relationship like that.

 

* * *

 

 

And what finally drove the point home for Fantasio was when L _éon walked in on him and Spirou eating dinner together._

_“ I thought we agreed to talk about these things, for work. Hello, Spirou.”_

 

_ Spirou waved from the table. “Hi.”  _

 

“I forgot.” Fantasio told him. Spirou had come to visit unexpectedly, and they had been carried away, his promise to watch a movie with L _éon_ forgotten.

 

“No matter. We can just talk about these documents later, OK?”

 

Fantasio followed Prunelle to the hallway. “We were just having dinner. You could stay.”

 

“I know it was just dinner. Don't worry, I'm not offended or anything, I would just feel like a- I'd feel out of place.” And before Fantasio had time to say anything, he was gone.

 

“Is everything OK?” Spirou asked.

 

“I'm... Not sure.”

 

* * *

 

 

 

“We need to talk.” Fantasio told Prunelle.

The other man nodded. “Come in.”

 

They sat in awkward silence in the joint kitchen/living room, the small dinner table between them.

 

Prunelle was the first to speak. “I love you.”

 

“You-”

 

“Rogntudjuu, forget what I said.”

 

“I don't think I can just do that, especially considering the feeling is mutual.” Fantasio told him.

 

“What?”

 

“I love you too.”

 

Prunelle didn't return his smile. ”Be honest with me, Fantasio. If Spirou walked in right now, and confessed his love to you, what would you do?”

 

”L _éon_ , I never thought of him when we were having sex.”

 

”You... didn't?”

 

”I sort off... Tried it at the very beginning. But it felt wrong. And then I just tried to not really think who it was, but, really, it was just you. And once I admitted to myself I was okay with it it was so much better... And then today I finally really thought about it, and how I feel about all of this. How I feel about Spirou. I love him.”

 

The look on the other man's face almost broke his heart. ”No, let me finish, I love him, but I'm not _in_ love with him. He is really important to me, but... Not like that.”

 

”Not like...”

 

”Not like you. It's sort of... If Spirou is like a brother to me, I guess you're like a spouse?”

 

”Don't tell me you're going to _propose_ to me.”

 

”Not yet. I mean, not that I was planning to! What I mean is, that I think it's the sort of relationship that might at one point, if everything goes well and we both feel like it's the logical next step, end up being...”

 

”A marriage?”

 

”Well, it doesn't have to lead up to that!” Fantasio realised he hadn't really thought of things like marriage before. But now that he did think about it, tying the knot with L _éon_ in some vague point in the future didn't feel unappealing at all.

 

”I'd be fine with that.” L _éon_ told him. ”I mean, I am not in any hurry to get married, or moving in together, or adopting children, but being in the kind of relationship with you that might or might not at some point lead up to that... I'd be fine with it.”

 

Fantasio lifted an eyebrow. ”I never mentioned having children.”

 

”I wasn't saying I wanted that either, just that, you know, it's a thing... Just to be clear, I have my job, you have your job, no need to even have that discussion any time soon.”

 

Fantasio grinned. ”You could say the magazine is our baby.” His grin widened. ”You could say _Spirou_ is our kid.”

 

Prunelle groaned but couldn't hide his smile. ”Please don't phrase it that way.”

 

”I have to say, though, that I will continue to run away unexpectedly on adventures.”

 

”I wouldn't have fallen in love with you if you didn't.”

 

Fantasio felt like there was something he needed to ask, to fully clear the air. ”How about Gaston?”

 

”Oh.”

 

”I just felt like I should ask about it now. Just so I won't have to-”

 

”No, no, it's fine. I was just surprised. Surprised that it was obvious. I'll be honest, I had feelings for him. Not that I ever had any intention of acting on them. And being with you made me realize how silly all that stuff was.”

 

Fantasio sighed. ”So, anything else we should awkwardly bring up now so that we won't have to later?”

 

”I don't _actually_ like the fact that you put Béchamel sauce in every dish you make.”

 

”But it goes with everything!” Fantasio protested.

 

”It really does not.”

 

”Well, you better get used to it, since now that we are practically married I have far less incentive to try to impress you with my cooking.” Fantasio stood up.

 

L _ éon hurried to his embrace and reached for a kiss. “So, I'm already taken for granted?” _

 

_“ Never.” Fantasio closed the distance between them, bringing their lips together. _

 

”Listen, what would you say to a trip to Champignac this weekend?” Fantasio suggested.

 

”Hm?”

 

”You've never been there, have you? Spirou and I were planning to go visit the Count, and I'd like you to come with us.”

 

Prunelle smiled. ”I'd be happy to.”

 


End file.
